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Foundation Materials
Materials Used to Build Residential Home Foundations
- Concrete
- Rebar
- CMU (Concrete Masonry Unit)
- Aggregates (Component of Concrete)
- Drain Tile
- Polyethylene Vapor Barrier
- Anchor Bolts
- Chairs
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Rebar- Reinforcing steel bars used to strengthen concrete.
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Transverse Rebar – Steel support bars tied to longitudinal bars at regular intervals used to prevent cracking.
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Longitudinal Rebar – Steel Support bars placed along the bottom portion of the footing used to carry tensile loads
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Concrete- Is a mixture of cement, sand, aggregates and water. Initially mixed concrete is fluid and can be shaped using steel or wood forms. Concrete normally hardens within 4-12 hours depending on the amount and type of concrete used.
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Cement- a powdery substance made with calcined lime and clay.
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Aggregate- A category
classification from course to fine stone, gravel, cinder, or slag.
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CMU- Concrete Masonary Unit is a concrete block used in foundation walls and piers. CMU's come in many different sizes and shapes.
CMU's are made using a mixture of Portland cement and aggregates, molded into solid or cored units and hardened chemically.
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Nominal Dimension- A dimension that only is defined by a number and not an actual distance. CMU's are recognized by these false dimension.
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Actual Dimension- The real dimensional measurement of a Concrete Masonry Unit.
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- Mortar
- Brick
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Red Brick- A building masonry unit used for structural support, decorative covering, patio or walkway flooring. A brick can be composed of clay-bearing soil, sand, and lime, or concrete materials. There are many different colors, shapes, styles and sizes.
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Mortar- is a fluid paste when initially mixed with water used to bind building blocks together, fill and seal gaps.
Mortar Joint- Normal mortar joint thickness is 3/8". Depth of the mortar joint varies based on the type of mortar joint used.
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Brick type reference click here
Drain Tile- A buried drainage system used to run-off storm or sewer away from the foundation. Typically made of black, plastic tubing with holes
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Polyethelene- Vapor barrier sheeting, generally 6 mil, used to block moisture.
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Crawl Space Vapor Barrier
Monolithic Slab Vapor Barrier
Chairs- Supports used to hold rebar in place before concrete is poured.
Anchor Bolt- is a fastener used to attach objects or structures to concrete. There are many types of anchor bolts, consisting of designs that are mostly proprietary to the manufacturing companies. All consist of a threaded end, to which a nut and washer can be attached for the external load.
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